Bed-motion for printing-presses



- M. A. DROITCOUR BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES Nov. 3, 1931 Fild Nov. 9. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A Trek/v5 y Nov. 3, 1931.

M. A. DROITCOUR BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 9, 1928 3 Sheets$heet 3 INVENTOR .lalllllllllllllllxllllli .I I. .l l

- Mam 1 jag/1070001? A 770/ NE Y r Patented New -3,1931

T T S AT T OFFICE nn-or'rooon, or rnovrnnncnj RI-LQDE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR To HARRIS- SEYBOLD-POTTER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE BED-MOTION FOR PRINTING-PRESSES v My, invention relates generally to improved ,mechanism for converting rotary into rec1p- Application filed November 9, 1928. Serial No. '318,136.

trol of the bed'duringthe printing contact of the bed and cylinders.

means fordriving a printing-press bed and reversing its movements at the end ofeach stroke, such reversingbelng attained in an 7 easy and eflicient manner without shock or jarring. ,of' the various parts whereby the press may be rune-at a high speed without 7 racking same.

According y iinvention, the air of oppositely-disposed a racks, stationarily attached to the bed, but'in adjacent and ver-v tically parallel planes, are operatedby, a pair of aXially-slidable, bed-drive. gears arranged in tandem, the forward gear;v havingv full size-teeth, anddriving the' bed duringthe printing stroke, while the other gear is slightly undercut so as not to interfere with the drivei of the first gear; during'the inking 1 A: and return strokethe' undercut gear takes control of the heduntil the latter comesv again into mesh with the forward, full-size drive .gear. v 1 is p v In thepreferredlform of my. mventlon, the :pair of oppositely-disposed"racksstationarily attached to the bedbut in adjacent and vertically parallel-planes are operated by} a pair .ofaxially slidable bed drive gears, 7 preferably arrangedintandem, the forward gearhaving fullsizeifteeth and driving the bed during theiactual printing, while the other gear is preferably slightly undercut so as not to interfere with the drive of the first gear; duringthe inking'and return the undercut gear'takes control'of thebed until the. latter comes again: intomesh with the forward fullsize drive gear. lnsteadof being undercut, the second gear may be ar ranged so as'to beslightly raised and lowered away fromthe pitchline of the racks r maybethrowninto and out'of control of the bed by any'suitable' mechanisms,for ex- I ample clutch device, it being only essential 7' Jthatithe forward A gear; has undisturbed.- con By.- the use of tandem' drive gears-the length of the press may be advantageously reduced as well as the weight of the re ciprocating bed, and the rotary relation of the two drlve gears maybe adjusted to take up any loose play in the bed movement. 1

- A further feature is the provision of an improved air-pot and plunger mechanism for I retarding the bed movementsat the end of eachstroke embodying an auxiliary pressure reservoir for receivingand equalizing the compressions produced by the plungers in the air-pots, at the end of each bed stroke, so that the final or peak pressure is not excessive, and furthermore is longer maintained,

during the return stroke whereby the startingof the bed from'its position at rest is facilitated.

My'imjprovement's also embody other features of novelty intmachines which convert rotary into reciprocating motion whereby such machines may be made more'efi'ective and-otherwise better, adapted foruse, all of which will he hereinafter set forth and then particularly pointed. out in the appended claims. I v

The drawings show my invention in connection with thelreciprocating bed of atworevolution press,.t -hough it may be applied and used in machines of various types with the same advantages andresults. Of. the drawings, Fig. 1 is a conventional sideelevationof parts of aflat-bed printingpress embodying my improvements, partly I broken away and in vertical section to show Fig.7 is an enlarged side view of the upper bed rack and drive stroke. Similar numerals refer to slmilar parts gears during the printing throughout the several figures.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the impression-cylinder 8 is journalled in side-frames 9 and 10 and the reciprocating bed 11 is supported on rollers 12 travelling in the ways 13 afixed to cross-bars 14 and15 carriedby the side-frames 9 and 10 (Fig. 2).

The bed 11 is provided with the depending" rack-hanger 16 (Fig. 4), to whichare. fastened two oppositelyedisposed racks 17 and 18 arranged in parallel, but adjacent, planes,

so that the pair of bed drive'gears l9and 2 0 which are axially or laterally slidable inuni son may be brought into mesh with the racks 17'and 18 alternately when the gears 19 and 20 are shifted on their carrying shafts at the end of each stroke of the bed11. V

fAs shown in Fig. 7, theforward gear 19 i's cut with full size teeth 21 .which mesh snugly withthe teeth of the upper rack- 17 during the printing stroke, while theteeth 22, of the gear 20 are'slightly undercut so as not to interfere with thedrive of the gear 19:

is howeverduringthe'latter part of the return stroke of the bed 11, the undercut gear 20- takes control until the bed 11 on the next forward stroke is engagedand driven by the fullsji'ze drive gear '19.

1 The gears 19 and 20 are keyedto the tubul'ar sha fts 23 and 24 respectively sleeved on r their respective carrying shafts 25 and 26 fastened to the side-frame9. The opposite ends of the shafts 23, and "24 carry the pinions 27 and 28 respectively which engage the widefaced gear l 29 fastened to the drive shaft 30 journalled in the side-frame 9: (Figs. 1 and lever 37 having lugs 38and' 39 which engage 2). T he shaft 30 carries the pulley 31 which 2 in the grooved'collars 40 and 41 respectively fastened to the tubular shafts 2-3 and24. The

. shift-lever- 37 isrpinned to the rock-shaft 42 journalled in the brackets 43 and 44, and is actuatedzby therock-arm 45 to which is pinned the roller 46 riding in the grooved cam 47. affixed to the cross-shaft 48. Thev shaft 48 is rotated'by the gear 49v aflixed thereto which gear 49. engages with the gear 50: fastened to the cross shaft 51- which also carries the crankgear 52 a's shown Figs. 1 and 2. The crank gear 52 -is rotated by. the intermediatese r53; ich ga es h ive-g ar 54 fast it the "drive sharpen, the crank gear 52 making three revolutions in one cycle of the press.

The shifting of the drive gears 19 and 20 laterally causes same alternately to engage the racks 17 and 18 fastened to the bed 11, the gears19 and 2.0 engaging the upper rack 17 (Figs. 2 and 7 on the printing stroke,

while such gears when shifted outwardly toward end with the rollers 62 adapted to travel in the cam-runway 63, such a latch 61 being raised by the c-am-runway63 to engage the latch seat 64. Y

' When the last tooth of the upper rack 17 is in engagement with the gear 19, theilateh 61 engages the latch-seat 64 cut in the hanger 16 and holds the bed 11 while the Scotch yoke and crank pin 59 causes the bed 11 to reverse at the end of its printingstroke. The

rear end of the baralso carries the pivoted latch 65 having rollers 66 adapted to travel in the cam-runway 67 with the latch 65, being raised by thecam-runway 65 in the same manner as the latch 61'and engaging the latchseat 68'in'thehanger 16 to holdthe-bed .11 during the reverse at'the' end'of the return stroke. v Y

1 The momentum of. the bed 11 at the end of the strokes is taken up at: each reverse by the pair of'air-pots '69- fastened to the forward cross-bar- 14 and the pair of air-pots 70 fas-' tened to the rear cross-bar- 15 (Figs. 1 and 2). Depending from the bed 11 are the brackets 71 to which are fastened the rods 72 having the pair of pl-ungers 73, adapted to coact with the air-pots 69 and also the pair of plungers 74'which coact} with the air-pots 70. The air-pots 69 and 70 are cross-connected by the pipes'74and 75 respectively to equalize the air pressure produced in each pair of air-pots, and theair-pots. 69 and 70 are also. connected by the pipes 7 6 and 'ZZ-respectivelyto the union 78 whichis connected, by the pipe 79 (Figsf2 and 6) to theauxiliary pressure reservoir cylinder SOsecured to the lower part ofthe press (Fig.1). The valve 81 is slida-ble inthev union. 7 8j to seal the orifice of either pi'pe7 6 or. 77. f

. Referring to Fig 2. the reservoir cylinder carries the plunger 82 having the guide rod 83 sliding in the passageway 84. The outer end of the plunger 82carries the screwthreaded 'adjus'ti'ngfbolt85j to which is at-l tached thecross-bar 86 sliding on the rods 87 and 88 fastened tothe cylinder-80'-a-lid tie terse; "The compre sion springs 90 and 191 coiled about their respective" rods 87 and normally force the plunger 82 within "the cylinder 8Q (upwardly in F ig; 2),the tension 'ofthe springs 90 and 91 beingregulated by i the'b'olt 851' to vary thejdist'ance between' 'th'e' outer surface oi the plungef 82 and crss bar' fWh'en the'air plungers 73 and. enter their respective air-'pots 69" and 70 toward ,theend of the bed movementgairis compressed in the air-pots and jsucli pressure is built up in the air pots and reservoincylinder' 80 until the pressure in the-latter is sufiicient to force the plunger '82 outwardly to' compress the springs 90 and This 0utwardmove ment of theplunger 82 re moves the eak pressure caused by. further compression inlthe air pots, the springs 9Q and 91 maintaining a substantial'uniform,pressnre'which extends for a longer period during the retnrnstroke,

7 whereby thestarting of the bed 11 from its a single reservoir cyliI ider'j8O which will al position of restis facilitated; :"The sealing valve 81 by closing the orifice of eitherliof the pipes 76 andf77 permits the use of, only terna-telytakecare of each pair of'iair-p ots 69 and 'ZOduring each reverse;

7 A spring-pressed relief valve 92 is set o n the opening 93 connected'ito the passage way I 'vided with suctionopened gravity 'va1vesf94a and 95 respectively whichare lifted to break the vacuum in the air-'potsi 69'and70 as the plungers 7 3 and 74 are withdrawntherefrom on the return stroke Lof ithebed 11'." p v Theope'ration'of mypifess'is substantially as follows zwhen the bed 11 is: advanced in it's"printing stroke, the'upper rack '17"first engages the undercut gear 20 whichforwards the bed until the rack 17" engages the full- 1 sizedrivegear 19(Fig. When thelast tooth oftherack 17 is-inthe'gear ,19,"the

1 scribed.

latch 61 engages thelatch-seat 64 to holdthe bed ll as the Scotch yoke "through the crank-pin 59 on the 'crankrgea'r 52 causesthe bed to reverse, the plungers 73 entering; the air-pots 69 to check or retard the'bed-movement with the aid of the auxiliary pressure reservoir cylinder "80fas liereinbefore Idea he yoke 55fis reciprecated'by the crankpin'59 onthe gear 52, and carries thebar 6O I v, tooth in the rack 171is' onthe center linefof havingthe 1atches61 and'65 on the'left and ri'ght' endsrespectively (Fig; The latch 61 engages in the latch seat 6& when the last the gear 19, and by the action of the crankpin 59' andyoke55 takes-the'bed 11 to left,

stop, and then returns the-bed to the right in Fig; 3. "During'this;.reverse movement,-the

gears 19 and 20shift to be in alinement with therack'. 18', and then such gears-drive the bed 11} tO theright until the'rack 18 isin last tooth'with' the gear 20. "Then the latch Y slowdown, stop and reverse engages the latch-seat 68 and by the action of the crankgpin 59 and yoke 55 takes the bed, 11 to the right, stop, and thenreturns the bed to theleft in fFi'gJ'3, During this'reverse movementthegears 19 and20l shift to be in alinementjwith'the rack 17 to complete the cycle in 'which the "yoke 55 and crank-pin 59 h I the bed by atrue S QhTQkG ti J The "normal travel of the bed 11' is'longer than the'len'gth of theracks 1'7 and 18, due to the tandem relation of the gears 19 and 20,

such spaced-apart position enablingqsuch gears always controlling the bed; "During the reverse the grooved cam47 actuates the shiftlever' 37a shift the gears19' and 20 toward the side-frame 10 (Fig. 2) so that such gears willsuccessively engage the lower rack '18 to drive the'bed 11 on the returnst-roke; the 1atch'65 engages the latch-seat 68 to hold the bediduring the reverse with the plungers'74 c'oacting with the air-pots 70 and building up air pressure therein and in the reservoir cylinderSQ as hereinbefore described; By

my improvedi construction a much smaller bed to print the same size form may be used whereby the bed-reciprocatlng ,mechanism can be built of lighter" parts with a smaller amount of floorspace." Y The detailed structure herein shown and "described may be varied'inconstruction without departing from the scope of my invention or sacrificing the advantages obtainable from itsusefl In a mechanical'movement, a driving mechanism comprising upper and lower racks, a pair of rotating gears arranged in tandem with relation to the travel offthe racks, and means forbringing said gears alternately into operation with said'ra'cks.-

2.'In"a mechanical movement, a driving mechanism comprising upper and" lower racks in'diiierent planes, a pai'rof rotating gears arranged in tandemwith relation to the travelof'the racks, and means forbringing racks and a pair of rotating gears arrangedin tandem with "relation to the travel of the racks to operate the latter, eachof said gears having a different toothed engagement with respect to said racks. I a

? 5. In a mechanical movement, a reciprocating'bed', two facing racks carried by the bed,

and a main driving mechanismior the bed I claim as my invention:

cmprising a pair of rotatin gearserranged "carried ter the. s a v gearsarranged in tandemwith relat on t e ingtamlcm with relatien to hetravel of the V bedtosuecessively engage each rack,

. In amec'hanicel niovemienfla reciprocat mg bed, twoi' faein g racks in differentplanes (1 comprising a 7 pair of" rotating travel ofthe bed to successively engage; each rack, and means for sliding said gears; axially tocooperate axially with saidracks,

"Z; In a bed-motion forprinting presses,

. two facingraclrs carried. by thebed a pair of rotating; drive gears: arranged tandem and. successively enacting wish, the racks, and

means for shiftingsaid in unison to alternately engage said'racksl bygtl1ebed, a pair of rotating drive gears: arranged in tandem andsuccesslvely coactwith the racks, and means for shifting said gears axially unisonto'alternately engage said racks ,9: In, a bed-motion. for printing-presses; two; facing, racks. in dififerent planes earned by the'hed, a pair of; rotating. drive; gears havingteeth of different; sizes arranged in tandem and successively coacting Withfthe, racks, and means for shitting said gears v axially and in unison to. alternatelyenga'ge 7 said rar-zks.v

combination, a, reciprocating bed,

having a rack for imparting movements to.

the 'bed, a bed-reversing mechanism, and separate means/tor engaging-theteeth-of sald V rack to hold the bed at-the. end of each move,-

1 7 operation. 7

' .12." In combination, a. reciprocating bed, means for driving and Reversing, e bed, means, for retarding themovement oi the-bed during the reverse, and a common means, con,

trolled spring for alternately eqnalizing theaction of saidretarding devices? 13.111 combination, a reciQrocating bed, means-for driving and reversing the bed,

. means tonretarding the-movementoi tliebed during the reverseand; a common means controlled bya. spring forv alternately equalizing the. action of said retarding devices and also imparting aninitial return; movement, to,v the bed. 7 V

l4; -'In.e0mbination a,- re iproeating bed, means-uter ,dnin and reversing; the bed, means-amen mthemevtementiet thebed bgethe bed, a main driving mechanism,

, i 8,. In a bed-motion for printing-presses, two facing; racks in different, planes carrl-ed edr reversing mechanism is l1.v Incornbi-mttion, a reciprocating bed,

during the reverse, and a spring-controlled nnltary device, for. alternately equalizing the action oi said retarding devices. and. also impart" i! an initial return movementtothe bed. I 15;; combination, a reciprocating bed, meails for driving and reversing'the'bedi, an ailpotrplunger mechanism for retarding the movement of the bed during the reverse, and

an auxiliary air-reservoir device controlled by a variably-'tensioned? springfor alternately eqamlizing; the air-pressure in said air-pots and also imparting therethrougli an initial retnrn movement. to, thebed I rare combination, a. reciprocating bed, means for driving and reversing the bed, an air-got-plnnger mechanism for-retarding the movement of thebedduring the reverse, and a; spring-controlled auxiliary air-reservoir device. for eqnalizing the air-pressure in said bnild up air-pressure therein, and means connecting said opvpositely-disposed cylinders to. alternately equalize-and maintain the air pressure therein frornfsaid plnngers, V

18,-. In a,bed;motio1r r or printing-presses, a main frame, a reciprocating b.ed',an air-pot mechanism? for controlling the movement of the bed dnrixngfreverse: com-prising. open-ended cylinders mounted at opposite ends. of said frame, plungers-monnted onopposite ends oi the-bed and coacting with said cylinders to. I build" up, ainpressure therein, and a spring-controlled air-reservoir connected alternately. with each set; 015 cylinders at opposite ends ofithe frame for equalizing and maintaining the, airv pressure. therein from said plu-ngers. v y r f v 19,-" Ina bed-motion for printing-presses, a main f ran1e,areciprocating bed, an air-pot mechanism for controlling the movement of thebed during reverse comprising open-ended cylinders mounted at. opposite ends of said frame, plungers mounted on opposite. ends of the, bed andcoacting with saidv cylinders to buildrnip airspressure therein, and a springrcontrolled air-reservoir connected altennatelywith each set of cylinders atfopposite endsofi' the frame. for .equalizing and maintaining, the: air. pressure therein from said plnngers and-means for varying the tension of Saidspringin said air-reservoir; v l 20;, Inrcombina tion,areciprocating bed, mean-s for-driving 'thebed: comprising a pair on notating; gears arranged tandem with relation: to; theftraqvel. of the bed, a bedrevensing mechanism, tvvo" airepotgpl nnger mechanisms roeretarding, the I movement. of

' air-reservoir device selectively connected to 7 the bed during each reverse, and an auxiliary saidair-vpotmechanisms for equalizing and maintaining a substantially uniform air pressure'in the air-pot mechanisms and imparta 8 ethrough an initial return movement t0 the bed, R V l 21. In a bed-motion" for printing-presses,

V a plurality of racks carried by the bed, and a 10 plurality of drive gearsrotating inthe same direction for successively engaging said "racks to impart motion to the bed,'one of said gears having a different tooth engagement with respect to said racksfvvhen intermittently actuating the bedf a 22. In a bed-motion for printing-presses, a plurality of racks carried by the bed, a drive gear intermittently engaging one of said racks to drive the bed'in one direction at a constant speed, and another drive gear r0- tating in the same direction as said first gear and intermittently engaging one of said racks Y 7 to continuefthe drive of the bed at the same speed and in the same direction after the bed 7 25 is out of'engagement with said firstg'ear.

23. In a bed motion for printing-presses,

a rack carried by the bed, and a plurality of drive gears rotating in the same direction for successively engaging said rack to impartmotionto the bed, said gears having difierent tooth engagements With said rack.

' 24. Ina bed motionffor printing-presses,

1 a rack carried bythe bed, and a plurality of drive gears rotating in the same direction and successively engaging saidrack to im- 7 part motion to the bed'in the same direction.

MICHAEL DROITOOUR. 

